Based On The Wicked: For Good Trailer, I Think I’ve Worked Out One Of Its Biggest Musical Changes

Wicked: For Good is one of the most anticipated movies of the year, and for good reason. Last year’s release of Wicked became one of the biggest cultural touchstones of the year, making over $755 million worldwide at the box office and earning an astounding 10 nominations at the 2025 Academy Awards. While Wicked managed to remain fairly faithful to the original Broadway musical, it did make a few changes to adapt the story to the medium of film, and now that For Good‘s trailer has been released, it seems that the sequel will follow suit.

As the musical has always been one of the most popular Broadway productions, the story is fairly well-known to people who have even a little bit of musical knowledge, but it is still new territory for those less familiar with Broadway. As both Wicked movies were filmed at the same time, they were made with the same mindset, so while For Good will likely remain a fairly close adaptation of Act 2 of the musical, there are undoubtedly going to be a number of big changes.

Elphaba & Glinda Are On Opposite Sides In Wicked Act 2

And They Only Share A Handful Of Scenes

In the original musical, the biggest change between Acts 1 and 2 of Wicked was how little Elphaba and Glinda actually interacted, as they remained on opposite sides of the conflict for the rest of the story. The majority of Act 1 was obviously focused on developing their close bond, which necessitated sharing almost every scene. However, as Wicked Act 2 revolved around the wider story being told about the world of Oz, they were apart for the majority of the runtime, only briefly reconnecting for a few scenes.

Wicked: For Good’s Trailer Hints At New Elphaba & Glinda Scenes

The Sequel Is Giving Them More Screentime Together

While the overarching story of Wicked: For Good will undoubtedly be the same as the musical, where the two former friends have to fight against each other in the escalating conflict in Oz, the film’s recent trailer hinted that there will be more moments where Elphaba and Glinda share the screen, outside the big ones present in the musical. While those big moments, including the inevitable final confrontation, will certainly be included as the most important parts of the movie, a number of smaller scenes reuniting the characters seem inevitable.

Whether this scene is actually happening or is just a metaphorical representation of their friendship is unknown, but it being real or not doesn’t make all that much of a difference, as it is still a new moment between the two characters.

The biggest moment in the trailer that looks like a brand-new scene comes as the pair sit on a broomstick that has been transformed into a swinging bench of some kind. The two seem to just be sitting quietly, hand in hand, looking down at a room filled with pink light. Whether this scene is actually happening or is just a metaphorical representation of their friendship is unknown, but it being real or not doesn’t make all that much of a difference, as it is still a new moment between the two characters.

Wicked: For Good Is Smart To Reinforce Elphaba & Glinda’s Friendship

It Only Makes Their Story More Heartfelt

Elphaba and Glinda bathed in a pink light sitting on a broom in Wicked For Good

One of the main criticisms of the original Wicked musical was that the second act felt a bit disjointed, especially when compared to how focused the first was. The story has a lot of different plotlines occurring, and when the characters all individually split off from Shiz University, it can feel like it’s too much for a single act that only runs for about an hour and fifteen minutes. With For Good likely having a similar runtime to the first movie, there is much more time for Elphaba and Glinda to interact in the story.

Wicked: For Good is set to release in theaters on November 21, almost exactly one year after the first film.

Seeing more moments of the two having a genuine love and affection for one another can also be much better contrasted with the moments where we see them as enemies. The first movie was all about building up their friendship, and getting to see that expanded upon in the second movie will make the whole story feel more cohesive. Wicked: For Good‘s addition of new, meaningful material is also a great sign that the filmmakers aren’t just throwing new moments in for the sake of it, but rather because it would improve the overall narrative.

Related Posts

“Dude, That Was Sick”: Owen Wilson’s Cult Classic Horror Movie Gets Rave Review From VFX Artists Despite Some “Garbage” Outdated Techniques

“Dude, That Was Sick”: Owen Wilson’s Cult Classic Horror Movie Gets Rave Review From VFX Artists Despite Some “Garbage” Outdated Techniques

Owen Wilson has a long filmography, but his more recognizable roles are typically found in comedies or Wes Anderson collaborations, including The Royal Tenenbaums. Throughout his career,…

It Took 41 Years, But This 1981 Movie Finally Reunited James Cagney With His Most Frequent Co-Star

It Took 41 Years, But This 1981 Movie Finally Reunited James Cagney With His Most Frequent Co-Star

Ragtime served as a reunion between a once-common pairing of Hollywood actors who hadn’t worked together in 41 years. Easily one of the best actors of Hollywood’s…

10 Most Forgettable X-Men Movie Characters Of All Time

10 Most Forgettable X-Men Movie Characters Of All Time

While the X-Men movies featured many of Marvel’s most enduring mutants, they also featured some far less memorable characters. The X-Men film franchise has spanned over two…

10 Modern Romance Classics To Watch Before Materialists

10 Modern Romance Classics To Watch Before Materialists

Celine Song’s Materialists releases in theaters next weekend, and the director’s follow-up to Past Lives is one of this summer’s most anticipated movies. The film stars Dakota…

Halloweentown’s Marnie & Kal Stars Reunite For A New Halloween Movie

Halloweentown’s Marnie & Kal Stars Reunite For A New Halloween Movie

Two Halloweentown stars are poised to reunite for a new movie about Halloween. The first Halloweentown movie premiered on Disney Channel in 1998 and focused on Kimberly…

Superman’s María Gabriela de Faría Reveals The Surprising Inspiration Behind Her Version Of The Engineer: Telenovelas

Superman’s María Gabriela de Faría Reveals The Surprising Inspiration Behind Her Version Of The Engineer: Telenovelas

Superman actress María Gabriela de Faría recently discussed the unusual source she drew inspiration from to portray the DC Universe villain, Angela Spica/the Engineer. Hailing from Venezuela…